The fact is known that cyclic proton-ionizable pyridone polyethers, other cyclic polyethers and macrocyclic ligands are characterized by their size-related selectivity in binding cations, as noted by J. D. Lamb, R. M. Izatt, J. J. Christensen, D. J. Eatough, in COORDINATION CHEMISTRY OF MACROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS, edited by G. A. Melson, PLENUM, pages 145-217 (1979). A few macrocyclic compounds having a replaceable proton on a side chain have been disclosed for selective competitive alkali metal interactions such as in an article entitled HIGH LITHIUM SELECTIVITY IN COMPETITIVE ALKALI-METAL SOLVENT EXTRACTION BY LIPOPHILIC CROWN CARBOXYLIC ACIDS by Richard A. Bartch, Bronislaw P. Czech, Sang Ihn Kang, Louis E. Stewart, Wladyslaw Walkowiak, Witold A. Charewicz, Gwi Suk Heo and Byungki Son, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1985, 107, 4997-4998. However, no proton-ionizable macrocycles of the type disclosed in the invention have been previously reported. Articles such as those entitled ION-CHROMATOGRAPHIC SEPARATION OF SILICA GRAFTED WITH BENZO-18-CROWN-6 CROWN ETHER by M. Lauth and Ph. Germain, J. Liquid Chromatogr., 1985, 8, 2403-2415, and ION CHROMATOGRAPHY ON POLY(CROWN ETHER-MODIFIED) SILICA POSSESSING HIGH AFFINITY FOR SODIUM by M. Nakajima, K. Kumura, E. Hayata, and T. Shono, J. Liquid Chromatogr., 1984, 7, 2115-2125, have disclosed the bonding of crown ethers to silica gels but they and all other known bonded silicas contain a benzene group or other electron withdrawing groups which reduce the ability of the macrocycle to bond with cations and other solutes and also involve secondary reactions of the silica gel with solutes, e.g., the interaction of the OH sites with metal cations. Prior researchers in this field confined their research to chromatographic applications and disclosed no concept of industrial separation applications where high purity products are required. No prior disclosure has been found of the attachment of proton-ionizable crown compounds to silica gel.